Homicide in Canada on the Rise

Canada’s homicide rates increased by 15% in 2015. The current number of homicides in Canada is 1.68 per 100,000 people, the highest rate since 2011. The total number of reported homicides in 2015 was 604, 83 more than 2014.

Of all the provinces, Saskatchewan had the highest homicide rate of 3.79 homicides per 100,000 people. Manitoba had 3.63 homicides per 100,000 people, making it the second highest province in the country. Alberta followed at 3.17. Surprisingly, the lowest provincial rates in 2015 were recorded in Newfoundland and Labrador. Newfoundland had a homicide rate of .57 per 100,000.

Even though Aboriginal people only account for 5% of the Canadian population, Aboriginal persons were reported in 25% of the homicides in 2015.

In 2013, Canada hit the lowest rates since 1966 of 505 homicides; nearly one hundred less than 2015.

Pushor Mitchell Lawyers Leneigh Bosdet and Paul Tonita will be volunteering their time in the Pro Bono Advice-a-Thon even that takes place in city park in Kelowna throughout the day on September 10, 2019.